LAURA BLISS – MAR 13, 2019 Cities are desperate to tame the sidewalk chaos of the e-scooter industry. One startup offers a solar-powered parking solution. To understand the promise and peril of dockless scooters, look at Austin, Texas. This week, at least 9,000 of the zippy … Continue reading The Hot New Thing in Dockless Electric Scooters: Docks
FEARGUS O’SULLIVAN – City Lab Take a look at the trains that will modernize France’s rail fleet and prepare the national provider to take on its first-ever competitors. While high-speed trains are struggling to gain a foothold in some parts of the world (looking at … Continue reading The Cheaper, Greener Future of France’s High-Speed Trains
A designer relies on exploration and the knowledge of locals to create a unique series of maps. LINDA POON – NOV 10, 2015 When we aren’t sure how to get somewhere, our first instinct is to plug the address into a GPS gadget and let the program … Continue reading Maps Made ‘From the Mind,’ Not From GPS
By AYDA AYOUBI
International design and innovation firm Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA), in collaboration with Toronto-based Sidewalk Labs, has designed Dynamic Street, a modular prototype of a reconfigurable paving system that, according to CRA, could potentially make streets safer and more accessible to pedestrians. An installation showcasing this prototype is currently on view at 307, Sidewalk Labs’ central office in Toronto.
Offering an alternative to the current traffic systems, signs, and street markings, this adaptable road structure uses embedded lights to distinguish various traffic zones. Due to its modular design, each section of pavement can be easily moved around or replaced. For example, the system could “create an extra car lane during rush hour but then [turn] into a pedestrian-only plaza in the evening,” according to a CRA press release.
Made up of 232 hexagonal pavers, each measuring 4 feet in diameter, the installation is assembled over a 2,500-square-foot surface, simulating a 36-foot-wide street. Some tiles feature a plug-and-play system that demonstrate the potential for vertical structures, such as bollards and poles, to be easily installed on the pavers. Visitors to this exhibition can engage in creation of the Dynamic Street by modifying the system through a digital application.
“The Dynamic Street creates a space for urban experimentation,” CRA founder Carlo Ratti said in a press release. “With this project, we aim to create a streetscape that responds to citizens’ ever-changing needs.”
“As autonomous vehicles are likely to start running on streets soon, this project helps us to imagine a more adaptable road infrastructure,” CRA project manager Emma Greer said in the same release. “Self-driving cars will change both the number of lanes and the amount of parking we will need. The Dynamic Street explores a flexible platform that allows people to see how technology can evolve and respond to different conditions.”
These modules are currently made of wood, but the team expects to have them made of more durable materials such as concrete or rubber in the future.
Autonomous vehicles could save thousands of lives per year. Should the U.S. let them be tested on public streets? By Alissa Walker – Jul 25, 2018 By 2020, Waymo plans to make at least one million self-driving trips per day in the U.S.Waymo From ushering in … Continue reading Are self-driving cars safe for our cities?
Sizzling beaches, Art Deco hotels, terrible traffic congestion, and now autonomous cars By Andrew J. Hawkins Feb 27, 2018 Ford is bringing its fleet of self-driving cars to the neon-splashed streets of Miami to test out its future commercial plans for robot cars, which include ride-hailing and … Continue reading Ford is bringing its self-driving cars to Miami
2017 Center City Commuter Mode Split According to a new survey conducted by Commute Seattle on behalf of the Seattle Department of Transportation, just 25 percent of commuters traveling into downtown Seattle are driving alone during the peak hours of 6 – 9 a.m. This … Continue reading Commute Seattle – 2017 Mode Split Survey Results
The improvements could get you a shorter commute By Sara Freund Feb 5, 2018, 11:17am CST Four of the busiest CTA train lines will get a $179 million investment thanks to a small fee added on to every Uber and Lyft ride. In Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2018 … Continue reading City rideshare fee to pay for $179 million in CTA upgrades
JANUARY 30, 2018 BY ROBERT STEUTEVILLE Today, we’re sharing a success story that shows how a narrower, slower street can benefit local businesses and residents alike by creating a safer, more people-oriented atmosphere. This case study was originally written for the Institute for Transportation Engineers book, Implementing Context … Continue reading ROAD DIET BRIDGES A BARRIER, BOOSTS SAFETY
By Bruce Lieberman – Friday, January 19, 2018 In the Dutch city of Utrecht, commuters, tourists, and school children whiz to-and-fro on bikes. You’ll see cyclists wearing business suits, carrying grocery bags, and even holding umbrellas in the rain. Van Rossem: “Our busiest route carries 41,000 cyclists … Continue reading How a Dutch city became a cycling capital of the world
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